sleepydog25
Been here awhile
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2004
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There are literally hundreds of places to eat while at HHI, and most will have loud detractors and vocal proponents of what constitutes "good eats." My comments represent just our take a few places we visited while at HHI over the 4th of July weekend. This was our third trip there, but I'm primarily going to focus on the most recent visit. I've split the mini-reviews into two camps: MUST DO and WORTH A LOOK. We didn't have any poor experiences, so no need for a third category.
WORTH A LOOK
Ela's Blu Water Grille: Notable due to its relative proximity to the Disney resort (over the foot bridge and hang a right), we found it to be a delightful dining option. We had lunch there and tried the lobster nachos and fish tacos. Both dishes looked very appealing, but the latter was the clear winner as they were served with a superb citrus remoulade, and the fish was cooked to perfection. Wine selection was solid but not extensive. Key lime pie was decent but a tad too sweet. They have tables overlooking the marina, as well as an outdoor seating area that does the same. Prices were in line with most restaurants in the area and service was solid.
Hudson's on the Docks: On our first trip, we truly enjoyed this semi-dive joint that many locals recommend. This trip, the service was just fair and the food was good but not memorable. We tried the seafood pot and the fried oysters (a recurring them, you'll see), and while the pot was good, it lacked flavor. I know that sounds strange given it's fresh seafood, but even shrimp and crab need some zest or tasty broth along the way. Nada. Corn was wimpy, too. Fried oysters were limp and lifeless, too, as the breading was very oily, as if the oil wasn't the right temperature. They weren't awful, just not crunchy and gooey at the same time. Wine list also solid though the white we had came out a bit tepid. We sat inside though dockside tables are available. Perhaps it was an off lunch for them, but whatever the cause, we had better this trip.
The Black Marlin: Sits near a marina/dock, and there is plenty of outdoor seating, though you can opt to wait for an indoor table, as well. They don't offer reservations, but you can get Priority Seating through Open Table, and given this is a crowded venue, that might be a wise idea. We did, and we were seated immediately (outside) even though it was bustling at 6 p.m. on a Friday evening. Service was good overall, and the staff friendly. It has a casual bar atmosphere outside, and pets are welcome as there were a few dogs there. Again, my wife had the seafood pot, while I went with the fried oysters and oysters Rockefeller. Hers was a solid effort, but wasn't as substantial a portion compared to other restaurants. Crab was perfectly cooked, but the mussels were chewy, so a mixed bag there. Neither of my dishes would I rate as good, just passable. The Rockefeller oysters were buried beneath a mound of cheese, sauce, and spinach to the point the shellfish itself was lost. Further, they were served on a bed of rock salt that clung to the shells like barnacles, thus making the process of eating them tricky, especially since the mixture tended to spill over the sides and envelope the salt, too. The fried oysters were edible, but they had been fried a minute too long, so the oyster was shriveled and the coating nearly burnt. Very disappointing. Wine selection was good, and the pours were substantial. Parking is an issue, so you have to be patient. . .and quick.
The Crazy Crab: Also recommended by locals, we wound up at the one over in Harbour Town vice the one at Jarvis Creek. The mistake there is that it costs you $6 just to get into that part of the island. We'll know next time. For our lunch there, we surprise, surprise, went back to our standards (hey, we live in the mountains so fresh or near fresh seafood isn't an option). Her pot had tons of flavor but the oysters had to be shucked. I've shucked a few in my life, and I know the drill, but shucking oysters while sitting at a two-top ain't easy, and a couple of them were huge and tough to pry open. When you do, of course, you get a shower of shell particles, sand, and water which is hard to contain to a plate or platter without getting it all over you. While it was a unique experience, they lose points for expecting you to do their work. Good wine list but paltry pours. My oysters were nicely crusted and plump, juicy inside--one of the better efforts I had. Service was just okay. Nothing to really complain about, but we didn't feel our server saw us as anything other than another tab. The decor was dark, despite being there at mid-day, and hinted at being "old and dreary" as opposed to "local culture." In fact, the whole vibe felt as though we were at a major retirement area, an homage to a time of old money. The shops in that area all felt a bit. . .musty. We weren't crazy for Crazy Crab, though the food was solid.
Redfish: Found on many "Best Of. . ." lists, we enjoyed the food but felt the service was lacking even though it was for lunch and there were only three other groups in the entire restaurant. We were seated near the bar which had no patrons, but the staff tended to hang out there and talk about personal matters of which we heard more than we needed. At one point, we had put the menus down on the corner of the table and sat there looking bored. Our server was mere feet away cleaning glasses at the bar and glanced our way several times over the next 6-7 minutes before finally coming over to take our order. Little touches like that didn't endear us to Redfish. Still, the fish tostada my wife had was very good though it lacked much actual tostada. Still, the fish was excellently seasoned, and the other ingredients fresh. I again had oysters but these came with a flair--pico de gallo on the side and an avocado crema on top. These were excellent! Redfish is also a wine shop, thus they had an extensive wine list (and you could order one of their bottles from the shelf to drink and then take home). The pours were decent but the prices were a touch high. Other guests, locals obviously, were warmly greeted and constantly checked on; we weren't ignored but felt a bit left out from the warmth.
Alexander's: Literally a five-minute walk from the Marriott (where we stayed this trip) in Palmetto Dunes, we were tired one night and decided just to try this spot even though we hadn't heard much about it--locals we talked to didn't appear to really care for it. What a pleasant surprise! The ambiance is upscale casual, and the food is excellent. We were seated by friendly hostesses, and our server was perhaps the best we had the entire trip. She was delightful. There's a romantic air to the restaurant, and even though we again sat near the bar, we felt the whole meal was elegant, though not in a snobby way. We were both in nice shorts, and I had a pull over top and felt entirely comfortable. The wine list is very good, and the prices aren't bad. I had the scallops over mushroom risotto with asparagus spears while my wife had the halibut which came with a different side, but they gladly offered to switch to the same risotto I had. The scallops and halibut both were cooked perfectly--the former were still a touch translucent and unctuous with a wonderful lemon beurre blanc while the latter was moist and flaked easily with her fork. Both were handled with a deft touch and you could tell. Now, if only the same could be said about the risotto which had been overcooked and sadly resembled a mushy rice ball. The flavor was okay--a bit too mushroom-y perhaps--but the consistency of the risotto was very disappointing. We had the cheesecake to go, but it wasn't terribly impressive either as it was a bit too airy. Still, we'd go back as we were made to feel special and most of the food was impressive. Besides, we could walk back to the room to help burn off the calories!
_______________________
Well, that's all for now. I'll finish the MUST DOs tomorrow!
WORTH A LOOK
Ela's Blu Water Grille: Notable due to its relative proximity to the Disney resort (over the foot bridge and hang a right), we found it to be a delightful dining option. We had lunch there and tried the lobster nachos and fish tacos. Both dishes looked very appealing, but the latter was the clear winner as they were served with a superb citrus remoulade, and the fish was cooked to perfection. Wine selection was solid but not extensive. Key lime pie was decent but a tad too sweet. They have tables overlooking the marina, as well as an outdoor seating area that does the same. Prices were in line with most restaurants in the area and service was solid.
Hudson's on the Docks: On our first trip, we truly enjoyed this semi-dive joint that many locals recommend. This trip, the service was just fair and the food was good but not memorable. We tried the seafood pot and the fried oysters (a recurring them, you'll see), and while the pot was good, it lacked flavor. I know that sounds strange given it's fresh seafood, but even shrimp and crab need some zest or tasty broth along the way. Nada. Corn was wimpy, too. Fried oysters were limp and lifeless, too, as the breading was very oily, as if the oil wasn't the right temperature. They weren't awful, just not crunchy and gooey at the same time. Wine list also solid though the white we had came out a bit tepid. We sat inside though dockside tables are available. Perhaps it was an off lunch for them, but whatever the cause, we had better this trip.
The Black Marlin: Sits near a marina/dock, and there is plenty of outdoor seating, though you can opt to wait for an indoor table, as well. They don't offer reservations, but you can get Priority Seating through Open Table, and given this is a crowded venue, that might be a wise idea. We did, and we were seated immediately (outside) even though it was bustling at 6 p.m. on a Friday evening. Service was good overall, and the staff friendly. It has a casual bar atmosphere outside, and pets are welcome as there were a few dogs there. Again, my wife had the seafood pot, while I went with the fried oysters and oysters Rockefeller. Hers was a solid effort, but wasn't as substantial a portion compared to other restaurants. Crab was perfectly cooked, but the mussels were chewy, so a mixed bag there. Neither of my dishes would I rate as good, just passable. The Rockefeller oysters were buried beneath a mound of cheese, sauce, and spinach to the point the shellfish itself was lost. Further, they were served on a bed of rock salt that clung to the shells like barnacles, thus making the process of eating them tricky, especially since the mixture tended to spill over the sides and envelope the salt, too. The fried oysters were edible, but they had been fried a minute too long, so the oyster was shriveled and the coating nearly burnt. Very disappointing. Wine selection was good, and the pours were substantial. Parking is an issue, so you have to be patient. . .and quick.
The Crazy Crab: Also recommended by locals, we wound up at the one over in Harbour Town vice the one at Jarvis Creek. The mistake there is that it costs you $6 just to get into that part of the island. We'll know next time. For our lunch there, we surprise, surprise, went back to our standards (hey, we live in the mountains so fresh or near fresh seafood isn't an option). Her pot had tons of flavor but the oysters had to be shucked. I've shucked a few in my life, and I know the drill, but shucking oysters while sitting at a two-top ain't easy, and a couple of them were huge and tough to pry open. When you do, of course, you get a shower of shell particles, sand, and water which is hard to contain to a plate or platter without getting it all over you. While it was a unique experience, they lose points for expecting you to do their work. Good wine list but paltry pours. My oysters were nicely crusted and plump, juicy inside--one of the better efforts I had. Service was just okay. Nothing to really complain about, but we didn't feel our server saw us as anything other than another tab. The decor was dark, despite being there at mid-day, and hinted at being "old and dreary" as opposed to "local culture." In fact, the whole vibe felt as though we were at a major retirement area, an homage to a time of old money. The shops in that area all felt a bit. . .musty. We weren't crazy for Crazy Crab, though the food was solid.
Redfish: Found on many "Best Of. . ." lists, we enjoyed the food but felt the service was lacking even though it was for lunch and there were only three other groups in the entire restaurant. We were seated near the bar which had no patrons, but the staff tended to hang out there and talk about personal matters of which we heard more than we needed. At one point, we had put the menus down on the corner of the table and sat there looking bored. Our server was mere feet away cleaning glasses at the bar and glanced our way several times over the next 6-7 minutes before finally coming over to take our order. Little touches like that didn't endear us to Redfish. Still, the fish tostada my wife had was very good though it lacked much actual tostada. Still, the fish was excellently seasoned, and the other ingredients fresh. I again had oysters but these came with a flair--pico de gallo on the side and an avocado crema on top. These were excellent! Redfish is also a wine shop, thus they had an extensive wine list (and you could order one of their bottles from the shelf to drink and then take home). The pours were decent but the prices were a touch high. Other guests, locals obviously, were warmly greeted and constantly checked on; we weren't ignored but felt a bit left out from the warmth.
Alexander's: Literally a five-minute walk from the Marriott (where we stayed this trip) in Palmetto Dunes, we were tired one night and decided just to try this spot even though we hadn't heard much about it--locals we talked to didn't appear to really care for it. What a pleasant surprise! The ambiance is upscale casual, and the food is excellent. We were seated by friendly hostesses, and our server was perhaps the best we had the entire trip. She was delightful. There's a romantic air to the restaurant, and even though we again sat near the bar, we felt the whole meal was elegant, though not in a snobby way. We were both in nice shorts, and I had a pull over top and felt entirely comfortable. The wine list is very good, and the prices aren't bad. I had the scallops over mushroom risotto with asparagus spears while my wife had the halibut which came with a different side, but they gladly offered to switch to the same risotto I had. The scallops and halibut both were cooked perfectly--the former were still a touch translucent and unctuous with a wonderful lemon beurre blanc while the latter was moist and flaked easily with her fork. Both were handled with a deft touch and you could tell. Now, if only the same could be said about the risotto which had been overcooked and sadly resembled a mushy rice ball. The flavor was okay--a bit too mushroom-y perhaps--but the consistency of the risotto was very disappointing. We had the cheesecake to go, but it wasn't terribly impressive either as it was a bit too airy. Still, we'd go back as we were made to feel special and most of the food was impressive. Besides, we could walk back to the room to help burn off the calories!
_______________________
Well, that's all for now. I'll finish the MUST DOs tomorrow!
) to focus on more local joints. As with all reviews and tastes, it sometimes depends upon on a particular night or one's mood even. And every place there claims to have the freshest catch, so who knows just how truthful they are? For example, nearly every place we went had a halibut dish on the menu, and a couple of them had halibut daily specials. Was that because it's in season somewhere out in the Atlantic or because the local fishmongers snagged a huge shipment? At any rate, you've plenty of time to figure out what works for your family, and if my takes on the places we ate help, all the better. 
